


Memory Banks

by TheAsexualofSpades



Series: Quarantine Drabbles [75]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I call them DUM-E and U because spelling, Light Angst, Multi, Parent Pepper Potts, Parent Tony Stark, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Protective Pepper Potts, Protective Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Protective U, protective Dum-E, the bots love tony and their family so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:54:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24590401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAsexualofSpades/pseuds/TheAsexualofSpades
Summary: DUM-E and U are staples in Tony Stark's lab. They've been there almost since the beginning. They're family. They have a dad, a mom, a concerned uncle, and a brother. Their memory banks are full of moments that help them remember.
Relationships: Dummy & Peter Parker & You (Iron Man movies), Dummy (Iron Man Movies) & Peter Parker, Dummy (Iron Man movies) & Tony Stark, Dummy (Iron Man movies) & Tony Stark & You (Iron Man movies), James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Peter Parker & Pepper Potts, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Tony Stark & You (Iron Man movies)
Series: Quarantine Drabbles [75]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677655
Comments: 19
Kudos: 294





	Memory Banks

**Author's Note:**

> i love the bots so much and they are absolute cinnamon rolls

Fandom: Marvel

Prompt: “Don’t give me space. That’s the last thing I want with you.”

* * *

DUM-E’s station is in the corner of Tony’s private lab. It’s right next to the windows because he likes to look outside. He likes to see Tony flying in the suits outside of the lab because when he’s inside, DUM-E is too busy standing by with his fire extinguisher in case something goes wrong. That’s his job. Tony made it his job so he takes it very seriously.

One time he took away his fire extinguisher and then a fire started in the lab and he was so worried because Dad wasn’t moving, he was just sitting there, his face in his hands and DUM-E buzzed and chirped and said he was sorry he’d messed up, but it was here this time! They fixed it. They always fixed it. Dad even gave his head a pat after that.

Tony likes it when DUM-E does the simple things without him having to ask. So DUM-E almost always keeps the Roomba Protocol active when his dad isn’t in the lab, making the rounds at a slow trundle, picking up the things that don’t belong on the floor and placing them on their tables, sweeping up the dust as he goes. He likes it, not that he doesn’t love it when hisdad is there, buzzing about, demanding his help, but when he’s not here, DUM-E gets to roam around, see all his little brothers and sisters being made. He chirped so happily when U was being built; Dad came back to find half the lab unswept, DUM-E babbling away in excited chirps and whirs at what would be his new baby brother, about how much he was going to love the lab, love watching everything, love his Dad. When he saw Tony leaning against the door, arms crossed, he froze. Backing away from the in-progress bot, DUM-E trundled sadly over, his claw hanging, whistling an apology, only to have Tony tell him he can help! He did his very best, holding the magnifier steady, giving his dad the tools he needed when he needed them, and providing emotional support when he needed that too.

U helps him now with all the things that he has to do. They both trundle around the lab now, sweeping, cleaning, making sure everything is all ready for when their dad comes back. U’s station is over by the door. His brother doesn’t like the height, probably a result of one of Dad’s flights sending his early prototype falling off the table. They’d stopped that test immediately once they realized he was hurt, DUM-E whistling over and hovering over Dad as he made sure his brother was okay. Even now, U doesn’t like going near the windows. That’s okay, DUM-E can do that for him.

Sometimes, when Dad isn’t here, DUM-E and U will get visits from Mom. They don’t get to see her very often. She calls in most of the time, over the friend in the walls. It used to be JARVIS, now it’s FRIDAY. A screen will pop up in front of Dad and she’ll be there. DUM-E likes her white suit the best, it makes her look so polished. And Dad always looks so happy when she calls, even if he tries to hide it. DUM-E and U know better. But sometimes, sometimes she’ll come to the lab! She’ll poke her head inside, smile at the greeting chirps from DUM-E and U, and help them make sure Dad gets enough sleep. They have another friend that helps them with that too, and he’s strong enough to carry Dad to bed. But back to Mom.

Mom is called ‘Pepper.’ Pepper doesn’t do what Tony does, at least not all the time, and she doesn’t spend a lot of time in the lab. DUM-E can remember one time, though, where he made sure to thank her for everything. Dad came into the lab one night and he looked so sad. He looked too pale and DUM-E chirped and whistled and tried to ask him what was wrong. But Dad didn’t reply. So DUM-E had to watch as Dad tried to drag himself across the floor, lurching for a box that Mom had left. He couldn’t reach it. So DUM-E got it for him, opening and closing his claw in concern when he saw Dad’s light inside.

Maybe he could help give Dad’s light back.

“Good boy.”

DUM-E trilled so happily when Dad put his light back inside and looked better. Oh, he was so happy to help! But he was happier when he saw Pepper coming back into the lab. He whistled over, chirping excitedly, babbling his thanks, only stopping when he realized Pepper had no idea what he was trying to say.

“He’s thanking you, Pep.”

Pepper looks over his claw to see Tony putting down one of his tools, smiling softly at her. DUM-E nods, trundling forward to lightly bump her hand with his claw.

“W-why is he thanking me,” Mom had asked, “what did I do?”

“You gave me this,” Dad had said, standing up and tapping his chest, “and it saved my life.”

DUM-E purred when Pepper patted his claw, trundling away again to give Mom and Dad their privacy.

Mom is good for Dad.

The other friend that helps them get Dad to sleep is Rhodey. Rhodey is Dad’s old friend, someone who helped build DUM-E and U and helps keep up with their repairs when Dad is busy. They do their best to stay out of Dad’s way when Rhodey is here. Rhodey helps Dad with things that they can’t do and they don’t want to get in the way. But Rhodey counts on them to have the blankets ready for when Dad gets hurt. Rhodey is where they learned how to help cheer Dad up in other ways.

Rhodey brings blankets. The first time Dad looked sad and no amount of DUM-E’s attempts would help, Rhodey left and came back with a blanket. DUM-E and U keep a stack of blankets in one corner now. Sometimes, if Dad is really sad or tired, one of them will carefully take one of his hands with their claw and lead him over to the pile. He likes the blankets.

Rhodey brings himself. When Dad is very _very_ tired, Rhodey will sit down next to Dad and talk. It won’t be loud, and DUM-E and U know to stay farther away so they can have their privacy. But sometimes they will hear him sing. When DUM-E and U are with Dad and he is very _very_ tired, they will come over to sit next to him and start talking very, very quietly. It helps Dad go to sleep, curled around one of their bases. They have also learned to keep pillows for this purpose.

Rhodey kisses Dad on his forehead when he is sad. DUM-E saw it once, as he laid Dad down on the couch and pulled a blanket over him. He bent down and pressed his mouth to Dad’s forehead. It made Dad smile. So now, DUM-E knows that when Dad is sad, he can bop him on the head with his claw and it will make him happy. Sometimes Dad is surprised by it. But what else are they supposed to do, let their dad be sad?

It wasn’t a good day. DUM-E spilled the smoothie. U got sent to the corner with the dunce cap on. Mom didn’t call. Rhodey wasn’t here. Dad…Dad wasn’t talking to them. They did their best to do all of their tasks and stay out of Dad’s way, but they couldn’t help noticing that Dad wasn’t moving right. Then he went for the bottle shelf.

Dad doesn’t let them near the bottle shelf. They don’t like it when Dad uses the bottles, he looks so sad. DUM-E set down his broom. U put away his feather duster. Dad’s head drooped and they started over to him. They couldn’t just let him be sad.

U grabbed the blanket and DUM-E nudged Dad’s shoulder. Dad jumped.DUM-E trilled in apology, leaning forward to lightly bop Dad’s forehead with his claw. U brought the blanket. DUM-E spread it carefully over Dad’s shoulders as U bopped Dad’s forehead too. Dad wasn’t moving at all now. Maybe they made it worse? U whistled that maybe they should give him some space.

“Don’t,” Dad had said, letting go of the bottle and reaching for DUM-E’s claw. He wrapped his hand around DUM-E’s arm. “Don’t give me space. That’s the last thing I want with you.”

U chirped, coming closer, leaning down to rest his arm across Dad’s shoulders. Dad smiled for the first time that day, pulling DUM-E closer and reaching back to haphazardly pat U’s arm. They stayed like that until Mom called. When Mom came down to get him, she thanked the bots for taking care of him.

They heard from JARVIS later that Tony had asked why they liked to bop him on the forehead with their claws. JARVIS told them that Tony seemed…happy? when he told him that they say Rhodey does it and it made them happy. When Tony comes back into the lab the next day, looking much better, he calls them over and kisses their heads!

“Well,” he says, “it’s not fair if you’re the only ones doing it, is it?”

They chirp and whistle and bump their claws together. Dad laughs.

DUM-E and U have another brother.

This one is human, like Dad. He’s so smart, at least that’s what Dad says, and he _loves_ them. The first time he came into the lab, he rushed over to crouch down in front of DUM-E, looking him over with such excitement that it made Dad laugh. DUM-E had trilled in question, reaching out to see who this new person was. The trill turned very happy when the new person tangled his fingers with DUM-E’s claw. U bustled over and the new person’s face lit up, tangling his other hand with U.

“They like you, Peter.”

“I like them too,” Peter had said, giving them plenty of pets and attention that they’d not had since Dad was this small.

Peter is wonderful. He sits with them, talks with them, lets them fuss over him when he’s sad and gives them plenty of attention when they need repairs. Sometimes Dad will look over and shake his head, but he’s always smiling. They love their brother.

When Peter is sad, everything stops. If Dad doesn’t know already, one of them will whistle at the friend in the walls to let him know, while the other one scurries over to bop Peter on the head and grab him a blanket. Then they stay there, hovering protectively over him until Dad comes. Then Dad will sweep him into his arms and hold him in his lap on the floor while the bots stand guard.

One time, Peter looked up at DUM-E when he was sad and DUM-E had to lean forward to bop his forehead with his claw. It helps Dad, it has to help Peter as well.

“W-why do they do that,” Peter had asked, quietly hugging Dad tighter, “touch my-my forehead with their claws?”

“They’re giving you little robo-smooches, _bambino—“_ sometimes Dad calls Peter other names, they’ve learned— “because they think it’ll make you happy.”

Peter’s face had stopped looking quite so sad and he let go of Dad with one hand, reaching up to take DUM-E’s claw. DUM-E trilled softly and squeezed. Peter squeezed back. U gave Dad a bop of his own and it made Dad laugh. It made Peter laugh too.

DUM-E and U love their family. And if they all end up in the blanket pile, Dad’s arms thrown around Peter and Mom, Rhodey sitting behind him, leaned against U, with Peter cuddled against DUM-E’s base while FRIDAY plays a movie in the lab, well, that’s for their memory banks.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come yell at me on tumblr while we're all in quarantine. 
> 
> https://a-small-batch-of-dragons.tumblr.com/


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